PIC set up a booth independently at the FOODEX JAPAN 2021 (46th International Food and Beverage Exposition) which is one of the largest food-related expositions in Asia. As the Exposition was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic, PIC decided to set up its booth for the support of those Pacific Island Countries’ companies that had expected to participate in the exposition and visit Japan in 2020.
This year, 5 companies from the Pacific Islands and 2 Japanese start-ups which launched the business between late 2020 and early this year participated in the exposition. While 6 volunteers and an intern’s, who have a variety of careers and staying & working experience in the Pacific Islands, supported PIC booth.
In the throes of Covid-19 pandemic, PIC aimed to define the new concept and style of participating in the exposition by fully utilizing online platforms such as online kick-off and regular meeting with the counterparts of the Pacific Islands, as well as online business meeting by seeking out how the promotion is supposed to be by adapting it for the current situation.
The first exhibition in almost a year had 25,000 visitors and PIC booth welcomed 1,200 visitors. In the context of business, all the participating companies won the contact of Japanese companies. PIC continues to support business deal between Pacific Island companies and companies in Japan, to realize and expand export from Island Countries to Japan in the future.
FOODEX virtual exhibition can be viewed online until 8th of October 2021.（Registration as a buyer is required for browsing. https://www.jma-buyers.com/jp/）
The exhibitors were as below.
- Bulavity（Japan）：Fijian Coffee https://pacific-coffee.com/
- Ojas（Japan）+ Living Koko(Samoa): Chocolate and Cacao Tea https://waccaworks.net/?tid=2&mode=f2 https://www.livingkoko.com/
- Pacific Garden (Japan)：Cacao nib of Solomon Islands
- Paradise Foods (PNG): Chocolate https://paradisefoods.com.pg/chocolates/
- PNG Highland Adventures (PNG): Coffee https://pic.or.jp/trade_product/5870/
- Tanna Coffee Development Company (Vanuatu)：Coffee https://www.facebook.com/tannacoffeecentral/
- Vanuatu Craft Association (Vanuatu)：Alcoholic beverages https://www.facebook.com/vanuatucraftassociation/
